Syria's Children Still Dream of a Brighter Future

Tags：

• Humanitarian Emergency Affair & Relief
• Child Rights & Gender
• Syria

The world is failing the children of Syria. Right now there are hundreds of thousands of children, just like us, with no homes, no schools and an uncertain future. But that does not stop them from dreaming of a bright future.

World Vision has been working with children since the war began and recently we asked children to share their fears and dreams with us. Here are what they said:

Mohammad, 16, from Golan Heights, Syria

“My biggest dream is to be a journalist. I've actually started a magazine inside the camp with some of my friends. I want to write about things that are important and actually matter, because there are a lot of children who are afraid to speak up. Hopefully this would help them have a voice in the camp.”

“It was a beautiful life [in Syria]. I had all my family. We had a backyard where trees and fruit grew. We had everything we needed. I suppose you don’t realise what you have until you don’t have it anymore.”

“I now understand how important family is. My biggest fear is that something will happen to my younger sisters, I don't like to let them out of my sight at all.”

“I was interested in journalism from a young age, my uncle would buy me newspapers to read and study. Although my uncle was killed, I want to carry on with this dream, it is a way of honouring him.”

Nour (left), 14, and her older sister Ghina (right), 16, from Damascus, Syria

When sisters Nour and Ghina were separated while leaving Syria, they feared they might never see each other again. They had to leave because their home became a war zone, “I was happy in Syria, I had my friends, my school… life was good. Then the war began and everything changed,” Nour, the younger sister says.

For the last three years, they have been living in Jordan’s Azraq Refugee Camp, finding strength in each other during the difficult time, “I love my sister because she’s always someone positive to be around,” Ghina says.

They share the same dream, “Our biggest dream is to do well in school and stay at the top of our classes.” While Nour wants to be an electrical engineer, Ghina would like to travel the world and experience different cultures.

Although the future of Syria is uncertain, they are determined that fear will not hold them back, “We dream to be able to continue to dream,” Ghina says.

Hamza, 10, from Damascus, Syria

Hamza loves singing, he says it helps him express his emotions.

“My uncle taught me songs in Arabic, French, and English. He taught me this one song that I sing a lot. All the words talk about what happened in my country. When I sing it, I remember the good days I spent there. But now I fear the airstrikes, when I think about it, they came so close to my house and the noise was so loud. My biggest dream is to become a pilot, it would be amazing to see the world.”

Sara, 16, from Homs, Syria

Sara fled Syria with her younger sisters and parents, they arrived at Azraq Refugee Camp one year ago.

Since then Sara has settled into one of the schools in the camp and has taken a computer course. She would like a career in working with computers and technology in the future.

“My dream is to go back to Syria and see my brother. He hasn’t met his daughter yet, she and her mother are with us in the camp here… I just want my family to be back together again.”

“My biggest fear is not being able to see my brother again. He is my big brother, he is everything to me.”

Mohammed, 16, from Daraa, Syria

Mohammed fled Syria with his parents and younger siblings. His father, a lawyer in Syria, lost his eye sight when a bomb exploded on his way to work, he knew then that it was time for his family to leave.

About his life in Syria, Mohammed says it was beautiful life, “My home was very big, I loved it. My friends and I would get together after school and play football. I miss that, but I’ve also made friends here in Azraq, we stick together here,” he says.

“I fear for the future of Syria, we had a simple life, a good life, then we woke up to this war.”

“I dream to be a civil engineer; it’s the best skill I can learn that will help rebuild Syria.”

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Published on 19 Jun 2017